10 MORE Mistakes

[@ExpertGTAMortgage]

This is gold! Thank you Jenn! You’re a pro!

[@RobertsAdventure]

Thanks for the tip on the surge protector, not something I have heard much about elsewhere.

[@SherryHolub]

RE: towing - My tow vehicle is a 2014 Jeep Wrangler JK (4 Door) with Max Tow package (so different gear ratio) and a 3500lb max. My 2014 T@B 320 (with bath) is only 1670 dry weight. Remember too that if you store stuff in your tow vehicle that weight counts towards your total capacity. I wanted to stay under 2500. I do need to down shift when going up grades, but that's pretty normal. In the wild, I've seen lots of different vehicles towing these little trailers, but it's very good advice to always know your max tow capacity and make sure to stay under that.

[@dawnkuenzli9543]

I think every new owner should be required to watch this video! I have made so many mistakes. My first tow vehicle only had a 3500 lb weight capacity, and was not good for towing, and my first battery suffered an untimely death.

[@JennGroverPhotography]

Those untimely battery deaths are brutal!

[@myrnafisher9143]

Thank you, Jenn. You always provide great information! I have a small tip to add regarding bugs. On the 62 day cross-Canada trip we just completed, I used a tiny diffuser with a drop or two of citronella oil. While keeping our little T@B smelling lemony fresh, it repelled bugs much like a citronella candle, but without any fire risk. It worked on 12 volt or regular current and we rarely had bugs inside. I used less that one tiny bottle of citronella oil on our whole trip.

[@conniehoyle2669]

Thanks Jenn

[@brendamw7895]

Thank you! We are new tab 320 owners! The fan and the vacuum are unbelievable for the bug removal. We recently upgraded our TV from 3500 to 7000 lbs.now. We have lots to learn. Happy campers from the gentle island, pei.

[@JennGroverPhotography]

Oh, congrats on your new T@b! We all still have a lot to learn!

[@mauricetheriault1221]

Your video reminded me of the time my wife and I were on route from Louisiana Dallas and we in a thunderstorm us us and so much rain we could hardly see the road and transports running by us. When we finally pulled off and when we went inside We had one inch of water. When the big trucks passed us, it open our roof vent with the back pressurer from the trucks brought in water. Hope this will help someone else

[@JennGroverPhotography]

Wow, what a story!

[@bjnslc]

Thank you for the great information! I went out and torqued my wheels right after watching this. Nothing was loose, but nice to know that firsthand. I also ordered the hardwire EMS with remote. We'll mostly boondock, but we're planning a road trip where hookups will be part of the plan.

[@ywshelburne]

Thanks for more great tips! Brian and I watched this together and we got a great laugh about the bugs! When bugs work their way in, I suck them up with my USB charged mini-vac. We call it our "Bugbuster!"

[@JennGroverPhotography]

The hand vac ti save the day...or night! Hahaha

[@chaosncheckt9356]

Would suggest a IR temperature gun/gauge. Frequently, when we stop I just grab and point the IR at the wheel hubs to check the bearing temperatures. On the nuCamp forum, a member Created a nice simple manual that covers just about anything you might face on the road. Good tool and fuse list as well. One issue we ran into regarding charging batteries while moving is our first TOW was a jeep Grand Cherokee. Got a 2020 Ford F-150 and on our first trip discovered our batteries were not charging,. After some investigation and google we discovered the Ford computers were one providing enough power through the 7-pin to the trailer to power the running lights. We installed a Renogy DC to DC converter powered direct from the Ford battery. This required the use of two Harris plugs and a hot wire/ground ran from the battery to the TOW bumper. Works perfectly now. As for power, get a very nice surge protector. A good surge protector with test/indicator lights are a must. I’m not sure how the pump on a t@b gets left on…..the panel is right by the door and the switches when in the on position are lit up blue light.

[@JennGroverPhotography]

Thanks for stopping by!

[@Aurelia6190]

Thank you SO much for making these videos. I am a first time camper searching for my first trailer. There’s so much to learn that it’s overwhelming. You do a great job describing in a very clear manner. Much appreciated.

[@JennGroverPhotography]

I am so glad they are helpful! Happy camping!

[@michaelkulczycki4690]

Jenn, thanks for tips. Avoid my mistake, taking chocks out when still hitching up to TV. I've had Tab400 slide 6 or more inches, luckily no damage.

[@JennGroverPhotography]

Oh, woe! That was a close call!

[@MaryAmesMitchell]

Fantastic, thanks. I am in the process of purchasing a 320 Boondock right now.

[@nucamprv]

Great video, Jenn!

[@jodybogdanovich4333]

Great video and advice. I've always kept my privacy shades in the "private" position when driving. Do you know why they shouldn't be extended? Is it because of the trailer flexing?

[@JennGroverPhotography]

I don't know for sure, but I think it could be related to hear buildup and the risk to the window

[@aliabunimah9353]

As usual, Jen, this is a great video with a lot of excellent advice. Thank you! But I do want to comment on Jen's comments regarding towing capacity. I do tow a 2021 Tab 320 S with a 4-cylinder vehicle that has a 2700lbs tow rating and a CVT (some of you can guess what it is). I already had the car before the Tab. I did as much research as I could beforehand and knew there was a lot of controversy on this topic. Many views out there reflect what Jen said. What I can say after about 5,000 miles and 18 trips is that it works just fine. I also monitor the CVT temperature and it does run a little hotter when towing, but nothing dramatic. I don't carry a lot of cargo (no kayaks, or bikes), but sometimes tow with a full tank of water. When towing I generally stay around 60 mph, and never over 65 mph. The car has plenty of power to tow up pretty steep hills or merge, etc. It can easily go faster but of course I do not do that. You definitely know you are towing, but by no means is the vehicle struggling. Also worth remembering that in other countries towing with smaller vehicles is the norm. If I were buying a vehicle specifically to tow, I would probably get one with a higher tow rating. But people who already have a vehicle and want to buy a Tab or other lightweight trailer should not be discouraged from buying one as long as they stay within their manufacturer's recommendations and do their research and understand their own needs (If you need to carry a lot of additional heavy equipment, you may want to look at a different tow vehicle). Also I would not recommend the Boondock because that adds about 200lbs. I just wanted to share my experience.

[@JennGroverPhotography]

Yup, there are plenty of people who tow with a marginal capacity and a CVT. Because of the many problems I have observed, I don't recommend it, but as you pointed out, some people do OK. In my view, it's a risk and as lo g as people understand that and are willing to assume the risk, thatnis totally up to them!

[@aliabunimah9353]

@@JennGroverPhotography that’s more good advice and there are risks with everything. But when I researched *actual* problems as opposed to problems people believed you could have, I really didn’t find any reports of people having any major issues. Of course that’s an unscientific survey just based on reading forums but what I found is that lots of people said you could have problem AB or C but in reality I didn’t find too many reports of these things actually happening. But it’s right to warn people and make sure they know what they’re getting into. You definitely don’t want to go right up to your tow rating in any case.

[@JennGroverPhotography]

I have read first-hand reports over the years, but people need to do their own research, for sure.

[@alceste]

The fearmongering surrounding the non-turbo version of Gen 6 Subaru Outbacks is a ridiculous meme that's endlessly repeated in the NuCamp echo chamber. Shortcomings of the OEM hitch kit aside (hitch poorly integrated with body; less-than-useful straight-4 connector), the vehicle is perfectly adequate for the task. The exact same vehicle configuration is sold in other markets with much higher towing limits listed in the manual (and right in that ~4500lbs sweet spot that Jenn mentions, to boot). It's unclear exactly why Subaru decided to market much lower limits in North America, but the reasons do not appear to be technical in nature. As Ali notes, towing a 320 S has a marginal impact on CVT temps and will stay well within safe ranges provided you aren't driving dangerously fast, or pushing the vehicle way too hard on a steep grade. You might perhaps run into issues towing in extremely hot southwestern weather, but I've towed my 320 S with my Gen 6 naturally aspirated Outback for several hours in 100F+ degree temps and saw the CVT peaking at 210 degrees - over 30 degrees shy of the warning threshold. If that sort of CVT temp bothers anybody, replacing the stock CVT cooler with a larger one or augmenting with an addition cooler in-line is a very easy modification.

[@JennGroverPhotography]

It's bit just about pulling, it's about being able to safely stop, as well.

[@JoanConsani]

Regarding checking your torque pressure, are you loosening each lug nut with a breaker bar and then retightening? Thinking that if the lug nuts had been over tightened by a shop, you would not know it.

[@JennGroverPhotography]

If you are unsure if it was done properly, yes, you should loosen to start from scratch.

[@leslieelsasser7837]

This is great, thanks! If you could, would you recommend which caulk to use?

[@JennGroverPhotography]

Not silicone based, for sure. A lot of people like Geocel 2300 MHRV sealant

[@eduardoquintana4876]

Where is the thumbs up button?